Generally described, sheet product dispensers may include a roll support mechanism configured to rotatably support a roll of sheet product for dispensing the sheet product therefrom. During the use of such dispensers, the user may grasp a tail portion (i.e., an exposed free end portion) of the roll and apply a pull force thereto sufficient to rotate the roll about the roll support mechanism and unwind a length of sheet product from the roll. The user may separate the unwound length of sheet product from the roll by tearing the sheet product along a predefined area of weakness, such as a line of perforations, or elsewhere as desired.
From a user's perspective, a relatively low pull force may be preferred to dispense the sheet product. During an aggressive or a “jerking type” pull, however, the roll may not overcome “at rest” static inertia such that the roll may not rotate at the same speed as the sheet being pulled by the user. As a result, the lead sheet may be separated from the roll before the next tail reaches the dispensing chute. This may be an issue particularly once the diameter of the roll is reduced such that the distance between the roll and the dispensing chute increases and all of the pull forces must be resisted by the perforations in that distance. Similarly, once the roll does develop sufficient inertial rotation, the roll may continue to rotate so as to pull the tail out of the dispensing chute. Another issue may be the angle at which the lead sheet is grasped. If the lead sheet is grasped towards one of the sides, the pull force may be focused at the outer edge so as to initiate a tear that progresses across the perforations before the next tail may be available. Alternatively, if the sheet is pulled along the middle, multiple sheets may be removed before a tear is initiated.
The impact of each of these drawbacks also may vary as the outer diameter of the roll decreases. There is thus a desire for improved sheet product dispensers and methods of providing a single sheet product while ensuring the availability of an adjacent sheet.